Edwin f



(No Model.)

E. F. MURDOOK.

PILE BOX. A

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. v/ RU. A@ e A ,Mm/-L .l fe 2 md M 0 M. f. M NOF M mw NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN F. MURDOCK, OF VASHING'ION, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FILE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,216, dated Julyv27, 1886.

Application filed April 6, 1886. Serial No. 198,006. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern..-

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. MURDooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in File- Boxes, of which the following is a full and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisY specification.

My presentinvention relates to that class of iile-boxes wherein a movable follower is employed for sustaining and clamping the files against a fixed head or upright; and the said invention consists in the novel means employed for actuating, sustaining, and clamping or holding the follower, whereby the capacity of the box is enlarged, the range of ad justment of the follower is increased, and the locking devices are rendered more certain and easy of action.

.File-boxes as heretofore usually construct ed are objectionable, in that the clamps for retaining lthe followers could only be applied at predetermined points in the length of the box,if the requisite degree of securitywere obtained, and if endowed with the capacity of locking at all points the structure of the locking mechanism was such as required a considerable amount of manipulation to secure and release the follower, and the latter was permitted so much play or lost motion that the files were either insufficiently clamped or if properly held could only be released by the application of considerable power. These and other difficulties and inconveniences are obviated, or in a great measure diminished, by the employment of my improvements, as hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated one form in which my invention can be embodied, Figure lis a perspective view of a le-box, showing the manner of applying the locking mechanism thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with the follower shown in dotted lines in different positions of adjustment.

spectiveof the locking-bar detached.

The letter A designates the bottom, B the front or vertical partition, and C the follower, of a file-box of the ordinary or well-known Fig. 3 is a view in perconstruction and materials. The front piece or vertical partition, B, is secured, preferably, at its lower end in position uponthelbottom piece, A, in the usual manner. On each side of the box is arranged a side bar or plate, D, in which is formed a longitudinal slot or way, d, terminating at each end in a circular or enlarged opening, d and d2, t-he latter, d2, of slightly greater size or dimensions than the former. These side bars, D, are secured at one end to the front piece or vertical partition, B, and are formed or provided with legs or vertical extensions d4, by which they are secured to the bottom piece, A, at or near the rear end thereof. 'Vhen the Side bars are thus secured, they serve not only to brace and strengthen the connection between the bottom and end pieces, andform a receptacle for the files and a way or guide for the follower, but theyalso constitute a bearing for the application of the clamping or locking mechanism, as will be explained. The side bars extend back to yor slightly beyond the rear end of the bottom A, with the circular or enlarged portion d of the slots d nearly in line with the rear end of the bottom piece, A.

Extending across the box, and in rear of the follower C, is the locking-bar E, havinga bearing at opposite ends in the slots or ways d of the side bars, D, said locking-bar being so constructed, arranged, and applied that by a partial rotation or movement it will be caused to engage the walls of the slots or ways at any point in their length, and instantly assist the backward movement of the follower, and hold the latter securely in position, while by a slight movementin the opposite direction, and without producing any considerable advance ofthe follower, the locking-bar can be released and the follower drawn back. To this end the lockingvbar is constructed and applied in the following manner: At or near each end of the locking-bar E is formed an oval, elliptical, or cam-shaped bearing, c, whose major axis is somewhat longer than the width of the slot d, while its minor axis is shorter than the width of said slot, so that when the bar lies or is turned with the minor axis of the bearings perpendicular, or nearly so, to the length of the slots or way d, in which they rest, the bar can be readily reciprocated back and forth in said IOO slots or ways; but so soon as thebar is turned or partially rotated, so as to cause the major axis of the bearings to approach the vertical, they will become wedged between the walls of the slot or way, and all further movement of the bar in one direction will be prevented. To eHect this vrotation or movement of the bar upon its axis by the pressure or expansion of the les, I form upon or attach to the said bar E, at or near its center, an` arm or lever, e', substantially parallel with the major axis of the cam-bearings e, and projecting toward the follower, to which latter it is attached by a joint permitting of a limited oscillating and reciprocating movement. Such a connection is shown in the drawings, wherein the lever or arm e is provided with lateral arms or pivots c2, resting in-elongated bearings e", formed by applying the arms or staples e4 to the Vback of the follower. As thus arranged, when the follower is pressed toward the front piece, B, and against the files or papers, it will, by pulling upon theI arm e', partially rotatethe bar E in a direction to release its grip upon the walls of the slots, and will cause the said bar to be advanced with it until the required degree of pressure has been exerted upon the papers, when, by giving the said bar Ea slight rotation in the opposite direction, (which can readily be accomplished by pressing the bar forward, so that the arm e shall come against the follower,) its bearings will bc caused to engagethe walls ofthe slots, in which position they will be retained by the expansion of the papers, so that the follower cannot be retracted without first turning the locking-bar. To facilitate the turning of the locking-bar both in locking and unlocking the follower, as described, and to .afford a convenient handle by .which the f ollower can be advanced and retracted -and locked or unlocked at one operation, I provide the said bar with a second arm or thumbpiece, e5,which, inlconnection with the arme', serves as a convenient device formanipulating the locking mechanism, as by placing the thumb or finger upon `the lever and grasp ing the arm e5 with another finger or the thumb, the band E can be turned to release or lock the follower without producing any material movement of the latter, which is an advantage, in that in the act of locking the fol@ lower the pressure upon the papers is neither increased or diminished, and when once pressed sufficiently to hold them there is no relaxation of the pressure, when the locking action is effected. It' desired, the amount of vertical movement permitted to arm e on the follower may be so limited or adjusted that the end4 of the said arm shall not fall sufficiently to permit the cam-bearings to be thrown down into such position as to permit the free backward movement of the follower,

v excepting where thel bar E is rotated and held interlocked or held at the same extremity of by the hand; but l prefer to make the said bearings of such length that the end of the lever or arm e may be moved when said vbar is the bearings, so that the follower is free'to'be moved in either direction until the bar is properly rotated or. turned in a direction to interposed between it and the front piece, B.

For the purpose of preventing the accidental displacement of the locking-bar E, and to guide and retain it in working position, I-form i clamp the follower against the files or papers securely upon each end a shoulder or collar, V1

ff, and it is'topermit the insertion of these collars,when formed integral with the bar E,

that I provide the enlargements diatthe frontA end of slots d in bars D.- When the bar E is turned, as described, to unlock the follower, Y

and the latter is retracted and relieved from the pressure ofthe paper on file, the follower Y can readily be inclined backward to permit an inspection of the contents, and when in this position the arm e can be turned downbso as to extend below the level of the bar E, andl the weight of the follower and files will be sustained in part by the bar E, which is prevented from becoming` locked in the slots or` ways by the arm or thumb-piece e5 bearing agailrist.

the follower, and holding the cam-bearings` from biting against the walls of the slots.

In order that the pressure exerted by the 'y papers shall operate upon the locking-bar in a direction to maintain it tightly clamped in the slots or ways, the arm e is projected for-y ward and connected to the follower in advance of theflocking-bar; Lhence, when the said bar'.

is employed as a clamping device, sufficient space must be left at the rear end of the box f to accommodate the angularlever and ,perc,

tot

mit the partial rotation of the bar E,thereby reducing the effective capacity 0f the box. It is oftentimes desired, however, to utilize the' full capacity of the box, as measured by the length of the bottom piece, A,and in such event no clamping device is required, there being no necessity for compressing the files 'or papers which completely iill the box.

In orl der that my improved file-box may, .when dex rov sired, be thus employed, I ,enlarge the rear'y ends of the slots or ways d, as atk d', sothat` u when the follower is retracted and has nearly' kUs i arrived at the rear end of the bottom piece,

IA, the cam-bearings e on the locking-bar E r will'enter the enlarged 'openings d', which are of adiameter greater than the major axis off` the bearings e on the .locking-bar" E,vv thereby c permitting said bearings and the bar E to be turned or rotated intoavertical position,when5 y the follower can be pressed back against thek i ingxbar, so thatlthe box can be filled almost the entire length of the bottom piece.

Iclaimf 1. In. a le-box such as described, and in combination with the follower thereof, and the side bars, slotted as described, the `walls or faces of said slots being substantially parallel,

the'movablelocking-bar having cam-shaped` or elliptical bearings at the ends resting in v y. the slots in the side bars, and an arm or lever atv lier tached to said locking-bar and bearing against the follower at a point remote from the center of said locking-bar, substantially as described, whereby when the follower is forced against the les or lother elastic material, and the latter is sufficiently compressed, the locking-bar can be forced toward the follower, and at the same time be rotated or turned so as to cause its bearings to engage the walls of the slots in the side bars, and thus become locked by direct pressure upon the locking-bar, and in a direction toward the follower, without perinitting the backward nioveinent of the latter.

2. In a file-box such as described, the combination, with the followerand side plates having longitudinal slots with parallel walls, of the locking-bar provided with cani or ellipti cal bearings for engaging the walls of the slots in the side bars at any point in their length by the rotation of said bar, an arm attached to said locking-bar and bearing against the follower at a point remote from the center of said bar, and a thumb-piece attached to said bar upon the side opposite that to which the before-mentioned arm is attached, whereby the follower is pressed against the files contained in the box, and the locking-bar can be forced tightly against it, and atthe same time be rotated and locked in position without relaxing the pressure on the files, substantially as described.

3. In a file-box such as described, the combination, with the follower and the slotted side bars having longitudinal slots or ways terminating at the outer ends in enlarged openings, such as descrihed,of the locking-bai` provided with elliptical bearings at each end and an arm bearing against the follower at a point remote from the center of the lockingbar, substantially as described, whereby when the follower is retracted the bearings of the lockingbar will be free to turn, and willbe supported at substantially the level ofthe slots in the side bars, thus permitting the follower to rest against and be supported in a vert-ical position by the locking-bar, as set forth.

4. In a tile-box such as described, the combination, with the follower and the side hars having longitudinal slots with plain faces, of the locking-bar provided with elliptical bearings for engaging the walls of the slots in the side bars, and the arm projecting from the said locking-bar and bearing against the follower at a point above the plane of said slots, substantially as described.

5. In a Iile-boX such as described, the coinbination,with the follower and the side bars having plain-faced slots, as described, of the lockingbar with ca1nshaped or elliptical bearings for engaging the walls of the slots, and provided with anarni bearing against the follower to one side of the plane of the slots, and a thumb-piece or lever secured to said locking-bar, whereby the locking-bar can be brought to position and clamped by a movement toward the follower, and while the latter remains stationary, substantially as described.

6. Ina tile-box, the combination, with the follower and the side bars having longitudinal slots with plain faces, of the locking-bar pivoted to the follower, and having elliptical bearings for engaging the walls ot' the slots in the side bars, substantially as described.

7. In a file-box, the combination, with the follower and the side bars having longitudinal slots with plain faces, of the lockiug-bar pivoted to the follower, and having elliptical bearings at its ends for engaging the walls ot' t-he slots in the bars, and a thumb-piece or lever secured to the locking-bar,substantially as described. A

-In testimony whereof I have hereunto set niy hand this 3d day of April, A. D. 1886.

E. F. MURDOOK.

IVitnesses:

W. C. MURDocK, ALEX. B. BURNs. 

